Demise of Jeremy? Olric? XANA?
by doublethetrouble
Summary: Its Shawn... Set after A Great Day, my own way... Aelita goes back to Lyoko for a while until Jeremy can destroy the virus, now he's found a way... what'll result. The Final Battle is here. HariKari alert, suicidal tones.... attempted sui.
1. Chapter 1

It was way too late to be putting it off any farther. The time had arrived, and if he waited much longer, it would pass for a few more hours. Jeremy turned to Odd lying on the extra bed which had been put in his room in anticipation of a new student showing up; some male student who had actually taken a room of his own. "What is it, Jeremy?"

He sighed in acceptance. "It's ready. After the mess in the fifth level when you decided to return to Lyoko, I figured I'd never accomplish this… but… the virus is gone, Xana is quiet, and the program is ready, but I worry…"

"Don't, I'm not. You're a genius, Jeremy." Jeremy, red in the face, fidgeted with the CD case, and turned to look into the monitor. "Really."

"You sure you're feeling fine?"

"Yes, Jeremy."

"Fine, then let's do it now. They're still waiting for you here."

"I'll get to the Forest now."

"Aelita…. Be careful."

Picking up the case, Jeremy reached across to the bed and shook Odd. "Wake up, Odd." There was much resistance to waking up though, which annoyed Jeremy only a bit. Seriously, Aelita was ready.

"What time is it, Einstein?"

"It's materialization time, Odd, I'll call Umi." He reached over for his mobile.

"I need to speak to Umi. Boyfriend? No, you're probably thinking of Olric. He's already asleep in his dorm I think… snuck out? No, that doesn't sound like Umi…. Now I'm worred…. Please, thanks, yes, yes I will." He turned to Odd as they walked down the hall. "They think she's snuck off with Olric, she's not there. Let's see if Olric's in his dorm." Quietly, carefully, slowly and calmly Jeremy and Odd made their way down the hall under cloak of darkness.

_Aelita's coming… finally… took so long to get rid of that virus. But what about Umi, she'd do nothing stupid, right? If anything she must be with a friend! Yeah, I'm sure. _Jeremy stopped in the hall, stepping into a bit of moonlight that spilled through a window. A shiver shot up his spine and a word popped unbidden into his mind for no apparent reason. _Grey._ Slowly the word escaped him and they continued on to Dorm 22. Jeremy knocked on the door of Olric's dorm. After know answer came, he tried the door. It opened easily and the sight before him jolted him a bit as Olric and Yumi sat upon Olric's bed, bound at the lips. Olric had a hand on her back, slid beneath her shirt, another on her hip. Yumi's arms were wrapped around his neck. Jeremy turned red again. "Hey lovers… if the principal found out, he'd have you both pitched out."

They pulled apart quickly, both blushing brightly. "Gee Olric, does Sissi know what you two are doing?" Yumi even laughed at this. "Guys, its time. I'm bringing Aelita here, and I really want you all there, because we're doing this right this time, I promise you that." After a few contemplative moments they filed out. Behind him, Jeremy heard Olric and Yumi talking.

"You like that, did you?" Yumi responded with only a kiss on the cheek.

"Now that Aelita's coming, we'll have to worry about walking in on her and Jeremy," Odd said as they entered the lift moments later. Jeremy blushed brighter still and sighed. The lift's doors parted and Jeremy moved to the Super Computer. He began entering in a series of strings, each with different commands, and then inserted the disc. Going into a back corner of the Super Computer he called up Aelita's profile, and then one other. His own.

"Send me into Lyoko. Then when I tell you, access the materialization program and enter the password, Earth. Then bring me back, I'm going to throw the final switch, but we're going to do this right. Aelita, are you there?"

"I'm here, Jeremy, I'm in the tower."

"I'm going to virtualize into the Forest Region, and then join you in the tower."

"Okay."

He entered the scanner with his heart beating somewhere in the region of his throat, and his breathing ragged. "Materialize me, Olric!"

"Scanner Jeremy."

Fear, last minute fear, wondering if the program was correct.

"Transfer…" 

Then reassurance, all was well.

"VIRTUALIZATION!"

That was the last thing he heard before his mind placed him in Lyoko for the first time since his friend's had been imprisoned in an artificial world. Slowly, equipped with the one weapon he had built in for himself, Jeremy walked, clad in a plain black jacket with a white shirt and jeans. He neared the looming, red tower. His heartbeat seemed to stop. Just inside of it was Aelita… wait, red tower?

"Oh great. Yumi, please, virtualize Olric and Odd. We've got issues and I don't want to take any chances."

"Alright, Jeremy. Go on, you two. Hold it, Jeremy, two crabs are on their way now!" Jeremy turned quickly, drawing his one weapon. It was a curious choice, and one he had found amusing. In his hand looked like a computer mouse with a really long cord. He slung it forward, watching the cord wrap around the nearest tree and used it to climb upward just in time to avoid a laser. Sighing with relief he dropped back down, unwrapping the whip from around the branch. He slung it forward as it struck the target on the back of the crab nearest. The resulting explosion sent him scattering.

"Wow, good show genius!" Odd had leapt onto the back of the second crab. Bam. The second explosion ended. "Go on then!"

Jeremy turned and ran, disappearing into the Tower.

"Aelita!" She was there, in all her glory, staring straight at him.

"Sorry, its just… odd." "Jeremy, your heart's rate is off the charts, calm yourself down." Jeremy didn't hear her.

"'Aelita', is that all you can say," she asked, giggling. Jeremy stuttered.

"Yumi, access the program, password, Earth." Aelita drew him into a hug.

"I can't wait to do this on Earth." 

"Olric and Odd are back, Jeremy."

"Bring me back, Yumi."

As he emerged from the scanner, he stumbled toward the lift. Moments later, he was settled in his nice safe computer chair.

"Nice work out there, Jeremy."

"Thanks, Odd. Alright, here it goes." His hand shakily moved toward the keyboard. "Man, I'm… nervous… MATERIALIZATION!" His finger slid downward, pressing down the Enter button. He stood quickly and ran toward the lift once more.

As he and the others arrive, Aleita stepped out of the tube-like Scanner Chamber. "Oh, I can breathe again, I can feel again… I can smell again." 

"Well then I apologize for Olric and Umi, they've been busy." Odd dodged the hand of Yumi as she reached out to smack him. 

"Hiya," Jeremy said, leaning backward against the scanner.

"Let's go, private moment." Odd led Olric and Umi away. Jeremy and Aelita embrace. "You're… so warm… Jeremy, I don't want to ever separate, I feel… feel…." 

Jeremy, who was now apple red, asked, "Safe?" She nodded. 

"Hate to interrupt but we ought to get back to school and Umi and Aelita need to get to Umi's and get Aelita some new clothes.

Jeremy sighed, "Aelita," he whispered to her as Odd left.

Before she could answer, their lips connected. Jeremy, rather meek, was very shocked at his own daring. This was something that he had dreamt of doing for so very long. "Oh…" she said softly after a moment, he pulled back and blushed. She locked eyes with Jeremy. "Did… did I do something wrong?" She asked this completely innocently, looking saintly and oblivious to the not-so-saintly effect she was having on him.

"No, I…"

Now Yumi called for them to hurry.

"I think… I think I understand this, 'love'," she whispered to him. His face couldn't be any more red.

"I… I love you too," he whispered back. After finally joining their friends outside, Jeremy and Aelita shared a quick smile, and Jeremy felt himself unable to resist touching her face for a moment to make sure it was true. "See you tomorrow." 

As they split, Jeremy could finally feel himself returning to normal. "Did you two have a good time then," Olric asked.

"Yeah, what about you and Yumi?"

"Could have been better." Jeremy was slightly worried. "You two weren't planning to…" Olric burst out laughing.

"No, we've both decided that that can wait. Jeremy smiled."

"Glad to hear it. Now that Yumi's gone, Odd, you should go back to your dorm, I'm really, really tired." Odd nodded and the guys split up. Minutes later he lay down. Jeremy dreamt.

_Dream_  
_Jeremy stood in the middle of what can only be described as a crater. A man, who stood about five-six, and couldn't weight more than one hundred and eighty pounds stood a ways away. He had electric blonde hair and red eyes, piercing, dark red eyes with a target-like pupil. Unidentifiable bodies lie near him. Wait… he could identify one. One that had a large wound and wasn't moving or breathing. It was…_

Jeremy sat straight up in bed. "Olric!" Sitting back, he took a few deep breaths before hearing a knock on the door. He, still dressed, opened the door to reveal a lit hall and Jim. The giant of a man told him to follow him to the principle's office. When he entered, Aelita sat in a chair beside the desk.

"Hello, Jeremy," the man across from her said. This gray haired man was their principle. He looked kindly at Jeremy. "Jeremy, as you know, this is our newest student, Aelita Tower." Jeremy grinned as he sat down.

"Hiya Aelita, about time you got here."

The man cleared his throat. "I would never ask this of anyone else. In fact, I'd never it allow it with anyone else, however, I feel I can trusdt you. The empty bed in your dorm is filled as long as… as long as I'm sure I can trust you. Aelita has told me of your… relationship. However, I have no other choice. So, please show ms. Tower to room 13, unless of course either of you don't like the idea."

Jeremy didn't waste time in saying that there was no problem, and added in a reassuring, "besides, you know me." After receiving an encoded version of the talk, Aelita followed Jeremy to their dorm.

"Will this feel too weird for you," she asked.

Jeremy was honest. "Yeah, but I'll get used to it. Besides," he said turning toward her and taking each of her hands. "I love having you here, near me…." She smiled back, and he noticed the way her bubble-gum pink hair drew him in. "Let's get a bit nearer," he suggested bravely, taking her into his arms for a moment. They pulled apart a moment later. "Today's Sunday, that means we're free, so let's go to the carnival in town."

Her face broke into a smile. "Yumi told me about those, all the games, and rides, I'd love too!" He pulled out an envelope of money and began to explain monetary issues. Then something more personal.

"One more thing though, Aelita… if any guy acts… odd around you, other than the Lyoko Guild members, of course, just don't let him near you. Olric and Odd are just jokers, but there're rapists, everywhere."

"Rapists?" He turned red slightly.

"Perhaps this is something Yumi should talk to you about."

Changing the subject, Jeremy told her that Olric and Yumi would join them there soon and that Odd was already around. A few minutes later, Jeremy stood, a mallet high above his head. "C'mon, Jeremy, at least –gah,- wow!" Jeremy gave a yell and swung… DING!

"Wow, that came from where exactly," Aelita asked as Jeremy handed the small stuffed bear that had been won to her.

"I don't know. Hey, why don't you and Yumi have some fun, girl to girl," he suggested, giving Olric a 'need-to-talk' sort of look.

"Okay, come on Aelita," Yumi exclaimed, pulling the girl along. 

"What's going on," Olric asked when they were alone, "what's happened?" Jeremy merely grunted for a moment, trying to remember.

"I don't know, but that bell… I should not have been able to hit that. And one more thing… I don't remember swinging. I had the hammer raised above my head, then all I saw was grey, like a grey blindfold almost. Then it all returned with the ring of the bell. Odd and my sister Jessie are around here some place. Let's fine 'em. I don't want to worry the girls but… I don't feel right." Olric looked him in the eye.

"We'll get you back to the dorms." Jeremy shook his head.

"No, never mind, just…" His dream came flooding back to him and he saw Olric, lying stricken again.

"Okay, here's the deal. You go find the girls, I'll take a rest, then catch up with you. If I'm not with you in half an hour, get to the dorms. I feel X.A.N.A at work." Olric nodded and Jeremy moved to the main mass of teens taking a table as an American band began to exit the stage.

"Karaoke time! Come on, any takers?" The man with the microphone began to unsuccessfully call for someone to sing, as Jeremy began to feel a tiny bit better. With a grin he stood up waving. He saw Aelita, Yumi, and Olrick by the stage.

"I'm in!" He screamed over the crowd. Fighting through the mass, he moved onto the stage, waving only briefly at Aelita.

"Okay little dude, what kind of song do you want played?"

"Ever heard of Kinya Kotani? There's a song called Rage Beat, they used it on some cartoon version of the comics Gravitation." The man nodded and began scrolling through his selection of CDs.

"Here it is, I think. Wow, kind of obscure." The familiar tune began to play. He'd downloaded it at some point. Never saw the cartoons though. Save for Odd and Olric, no one knew that within that seemingly unshapely voice lie the potential for music. However, the whole area would soon know it. It took him throughout the whole refrain to get past his reservations about singing in front of everyone, and then he managed to get into it, energy going through him.

"_Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete_

_hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa SHIGUNARU wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku!" _

_(With a terrified look in the eyes, spit those irritated feelings into the fickle wind_

_The signal that melted into the cracked roadway is leaving only a scar behind.) _

He was shocked to see that the crowd was actually into it, and some people, a select few of the type he should have expected to see (mostly girls) sang along, though the others seem to enjoy the performance. He could tell not all of these people were school kids, so that was always good.

"_Madoronda NOIZU ga asu o keshi-saru mae ni_

_yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto o oikakete." _

_(Before the drowsy noise blurs away tomorrow, chase after those ambitiously resounding footsteps.)_

Energy had begun to take hold of him, sweat beginning to pour down his face and neck. He chanced a glance at Aelita and saw the way she looked on him, mystified and oddly calm, but not as if she didn't like the performance. This, at least, encouraged him.

"_Doko ni mo tomaranai_

_mitasanai Emotion SHIKATO kimete oikose yo_

_furueteru SHAI na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte_

_tadoritsuku basho e."_

He thrust himself forward; his hair falling limply over his eyes, over his glasses, his voice was pressed to its rather meek limits and cracked as he hit the high note with all his might.

"_I Want New World!" _

_(That unfulfillable emotion that never settles down somewhere--_

_just decide to ignore it, then overtake it._

_Aim for the loophole in this shy, trembling society,_

_for the place we keep struggling towards. I want new world.)_

Though Aelita was now cheering, now laughing, now clapping with the rest, something was wrong. He suddenly stopped, breaking into a coughing fit. Pain seared up his legs, arms, and back. The crowd went quiet as Jeremy fell to his knees, his eyes being blanketed by, "Grey!" "GREY!" He yelled, then, "Xana!"

Jeremy fell forward on his face, covered in sweat. Then all was black.

----

"Jeremy," came a call, and now he didn't see grey, he saw pink.

"Aelita… Lyoko, now … it's Xana." Her head lie on his chest as she held him. 

"Nonsense, you're just tired," Olric said in a very stale voice. Jeremy suddenly realize that a crowd of people were standing around him.

"I'm still on stage!"

"Let's give him a big hand for entertaining us, he was great!" Slowly it came, then quicker and louder. Though it took two hours with Jeremy going as slow as he was, they made it back to the Dorms. She was asleep on his bed; he'd fallen on her bed the minute they'd gotten in.

Yumi was gone, and Odd as well, however, as Olric prepared to leave Jeremy stopped him. Something was itching on his upper right arm. He raised his sleeve expectantly and saw Olric's face contort to anger and fear. Jeremy looked down and saw it as well. "Xana's symbol."

"He's controlled Sissi, but I'm a lot more complicated, I think he's struggling to take over me. I don't know exactly what to do. I mean, if he takes over in the middle of the night…."

A sudden knock on the door brought him back to reality. "JEREMY!" The door opened quickly and Odd and Yumi spilled in. "Jeremy! It's bad, it's real bad. He knows his days are numbered!"

"What is it," Jeremy asked, sitting up. Aelita woke up.

"The factory is gone! It exploded, completely!"

Silence followed after this statement.

"Not good," Olric said softly.

"It's Xana," Jeremy said, rolling up his sleeves. "He's inside me."

"If-if the super computer's been blown up, then Lyoko is inaccessible, but if Xana has taken over you…."Yumi stuttered.

"There's no way to get him out." Odd finished. The five friends sat in silent contemplation for a moment, Aelita staring deep into Jeremy's eyes, as if trying to see Xana inside of him. All she saw however was the anger that built up more and more. Jeremy began to mutter incoherently, and then moved over to his computer. Olric was the one who saw what file was brought up. It was a word processing program and the file was entitled 'Last Will and Testament.' Olric's eyes widened more as he saw an email sent off containing the text from that file.

"No!"

"There's a way to get rid of him, and I think it's the only way… hari-kari, seppuku."

"NO WAY," Olric, Odd, and an absolutely terrified Yumi exclaimed in unison.

"What, what is it?" Aelita, unknowing in these ways, sat upward, looking fearfully from one person in the room to another.

"He wants to take his own life!"

"Jeremy, no you can't do that!" Jeremy looked pensive for a moment, then dropped to one knee in front of Aelita and put a hand on her leg.

"If I don't… then I might end up killing you or someone else. Do you think I want that?" Jeremy moved over and reached under the bed Aelita sat on and withdrew a small red bag. "I bought this in case Xana tried to materialize monsters again… however, it'll have a new use." He brought out a pistol.

No matter how much they disagreed, no one could manage to find the voice to argue anymore, tears at the thought of this actually happening were forcing their way even to Olric, who was usually tough. "Here's what'll happen. Two minutes after you hear the shot, Aelita, run outside, Olric will pretend to call Yumi, who will get here and Odd you'll go wake Sissi and tell her to call her father."

"You can't do this, Jeremy!"

"What other choice do I have, Aelita." She collided with him and captured in a hug. With a rough ground which suggested he wanted to do nothing of the sort, he pushed her away.

"Really I should go. When people ask, you'll be good to make something up. Seeya, everyone. Aelita… I really, really love you. Heck, I love all of you; you're the best things to happen to me. I've just got to do this… and… well…please be careful and… remember me." As he backed toward the door, he saw all four of the others get up to stop him, and opened the door, then turned and ran from the room.

Jeremy burst into the moonlit night, which was now silent, with a sigh.

_Here it goes._ As he drew the gun upward, he contemplated the place which would kill him the quickest. Suddenly the moonlight and everything else was gone, it was all black. No, no it wasn't, it was grey.

"Great, Xana, trying to make sure I'm blind when I die?" Jeremy heard a small voice in the back of his head laughing. He matched the laugh in malice. "So be it Xana, you've lost."

---

Inside of room 13, Olric, Odd, and Aelita let out a loud gasp, grunt, and wail respectively as a gunshot rang true in the night. Across the hall in a broom closet, Yumi slouched to the ground and covered her face as she continued to cry silently. "Screw two minutes, if there's a chance to save him, I'm doing it. Go you two! GO!" Olric and Aelita ran out the door and toward the exits to the building, Odd ran down the hall in the opposite way. He knocked loudly on the door to Sissi's room. "Sissi! Sissi!"

"Wh-who is it, g-go away, I-I-I have mace!" Odd felt an uncontrollable urge to scoff.

"It's me, Odd, look, we think Jeremy just committed or attempted hari-kari! Come out, follow me and bring your mobile. Call your dad!"

Well over half an hour later, the gang of five, the principle and five or six police officers stumbled upon a scene none of them wanted to witness, and none of them could explain. Yumi, Aelita, and Sissi gasped as they came to the scene of the last moments of life of Jeremy.

Odd and Olric crouched down as the checked the scene. A pistol, a bullet shell, and a puddle of blood. However, one important thing was missing. Jeremy. A trail of blood lead away. The police officers took off after it, but, much against the principle's wishes, Odd and Olric followed.

"It's insane," Olric said thirty-five minutes later.

"The trail, both blood and foot prints disappear completely about a kilometer from here… and the police will want to question us soon."

Odd turned to Sissi. "Odd, will you… walk me back… I don't want to… not alone…." He nodded in understanding, really who would want to?

They walked in silence until Sissi finally stopped. "Look, I need to say this now."

Odd turned to look at her, they were well inside the building and otherwise completely alone. "What?"

"I know about Lyoko, I have since you guys kept getting sent back in time, right after I got that recording of he and Aelita." Now Odd moved closer only to examine her eyes, Xana's symbol didn't control them like before.

"I need to tell you something else… Odd, Jeremy told me everything you told him." Now Odd pulled back, shaken up. Many memories rushed back to him of revealing his feelings for the usually sort of annoying girl. "And, I feel the same Odd, but I know, if something like this happens… well, now I see secrets are only trouble… so… I really, really, I care for you." His eyes were wide with shock, and Odd was truly perturbed as the door to Sissi's room was opened and he saw her enter. She sank down onto her bed and hugged her pillow tight to her.

"I-I-I I admit it. I… do have feelings for you, Sissi."

"Let me sit with you at breakfast tomorrow then, because I want to talk about Jeremy, I mean, if I don't, I'm afraid I'll forget something… something." Though he had promised to come right back, Odd didn't leave the room for close to an hour, between talking and trying to think, they'd been plenty busy.

When he did back from the room and shut the door, Odd took a moment to lean against the wall and examine his mind. It was a night for revelations. Jeremy disappearing when he should have been dead… Sissi, a member of the 'Lyoko Guild' as Jeremy had christened them, it was odd.

Odd turned and went into his room. Olric was sitting on one bed, being questioned by an office, but Odd ignored them and moved on to his own bed, not saying anything at all as he lay down and closed his eyes. He had to try to understand this.

---

Morning came eventually, just as sleep had. With it came a problem he hadn't thought of when he'd been thinking late that night, his main topic had been Sissi's admittance to him. "Odd, good morning. Sissi's here though… she wants to talk to you… should I tell her to bug off." Olric was obviously restricting the girl's access to the room.

"Good morning nothing, there will be no more good mornings. Sissi's one of us though." This was met with a creepy look. Odd saw Sissi's look and suddenly felt very sobered up, very angry. She had poured her heart out yesterday to him, and he to her. Yet, they were both very torn up.

"C-Can I-?" He nodded to her, and watched as she came up to him and wrapped him very tentatively in her arms.

"I could get used to this." He finally said after a moment. He could tell she was crying as hard as he'd seen her last night. "Shush now, we're going to breakfast. Olric, you'll get the others right?"

Few people in the lunch room even noticed the absence of Jeremy; some were more concerned that Sissi was sitting with them. "Jeremy had told Sissi a month ago," Odd explained quietly, putting down his drink and looking sadly at Aelita. "Right after Xana possessed her."

"Just like he did Jeremy, look everyone, I talked to my father this morning and-" the PA screeched, "well, you'll see now."

"Attention everyone, please report to the Auditorium immediately." Silently questioning, Odd, Olric, Aelita, and Yumi stood in unison with Sissi and followed her out the door.

The room was buzzing with whispers, people trying to figure out what had been going on to make them call together a meeting like this. The principle, looking rather tired, took the stage and cleared his throat. "Some of you may or may not have noticed the presence of police officers late last night, and may or may not have felt the disturbance, however… last night; one of our most talented students has committed suicide." When the name was spoken, the room gasped. "I have been asked that a small group of people be allowed to make a statement on his behalf. Come on up."

Sissi elbowed Olric who shot her a look like poisoned honey. "We can't let the stuff he did go unnoticed," Odd said softly. "It was a good idea. Aelita in the lead, Sissi, Olric, Odd, and Yumi walked down the middle of the isle and up onto the stage. For the first time, Odd saw out of the corner of his eye, two blonde adults and a young child at the back of the auditorium, Jeremy's family.

After a bit of "You know all of us at least…" Olric began, "a bit. You don't know half as much as you thought you did about Jeremy. Jeremy was my friend, my savior, and a couple of times, almost the cause of my death, but more than that, he was a hero." Odd put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We all kind of owe him bits of our lives." Yumi saw Aelita getting more and more close to tears and shook her head at Odd.

"Before anything goes any further, we need to tell you why. We need-"

"To come into town!" In the doorway to the auditorium was the familiar cocky smile that Odd thought he would never see again. "Come on you guys, I'll… I'll explain on the way." Odd was sure he saw the boy go, limping to his parents and engage in a conversation. The five on the stage took off down the isle much to the Principle's chagrin. 

"So, the weak spot is the chest. Alright." Jeremy turned to limp off, and instead felt either arm seized by Odd and Olric as they helped him out. When they were far enough away from the utterly shocked auditorium, Odd felt a laugh escape him, with tears.

"Your foot, you shot yourself in the foot!"

"I'm guessing Sissi being with you means-" Odd nodded with a smile toward Sissi, Ulric only looked unconvinced.

"Xana is out of me and destroying the town."

"How?" Jeremy was now limping on his own along the path, he looked down.

"By way of a Cyborg, of my father's creation. I ran to my parent's house and while there, Xana escaped me and jumped into my father's Cyborg. It originally had no face, a nameless body that my father used. Look, he's off somewhere now in the town. Xana is really angry, and I think he's going for world destruction this time. The only way is to destroy the Cyborg. Xana's trapped."

As they got into town they began to see telltale signs, if you could call it that. The signs were dead bodies. An eerie silence covered the area around them, what people were still alive must have been hiding silently as mice in their houses and offices. Yumi was overcome with an urge to make sure her parents were okay, but before she could express this or make a phone call on her mobile, a building down the street exploded.

Well, perhaps that wasn't right. The rough had been blown off of the building. From the hole where the roof once was crawled a tall form, the man looked almost twenty; artificially constructed facial features looked around that age, that is. Sissi, rather disturbed by this form, felt herself step unconsciously toward Odd and Jeremy. It stood atop what was left of the roof it had destroyed and then its eyes landed on the group.

And Jeremy knew sudden horror.

His dream came flying back to him, and, horrified, he turned to look at Olric, just to make sure he was there. The Cyborg of his father's which he had only once seen before, looked just like the man in his dream, save for the electric blue eyes. A cool, computerish laugh rang out through the room.

"Odd, the Jester, Jeremy the Einstein, Olric the Determined, Yumi the Athletic, and someone I don't know… hmm, ahh can't forget the Princess, Aelita the Sprite."

"Aelita _is_ my princess and I'll do whatever I can to protect her." No one, not even Xana it seemed, was unsurprised by the audacity and force and utter raw zeal with which Jeremy spoke.

"Is that so, dear Jeremy? You've shocked me lately, you know, going into scanners instead of sending your friends in… truly amazing, well…too bad. Who wishes to die first?"

"You do, obviously!" Odd had angrily grabbed for a board lying in the mess. The radiating purple energy scared him nonetheless.

"Now, now, no need for such crude modes of fighting, I'm an honest man, here." Flexing a hand upward, X.A.N.A conjured something from thin air. It was a sword that looked like its blade was made of pure gem. It looked familiar to Jeremy. However, he wasn't going to think on it. The sword fell to the ground directly in front of Odd. Odd tossed the board aside, no that wasn't right, he tossed it _at_ X.A.N.A. He picked the sword up after a moment, and there was a lengthy, classic stare down session

"You'll hurt none of us, you, BEAST!" Odd charged forward, and plunged deep into X.A.N.A., revealing flesh and electronics. As soon as the blade was removed, however, the wound healed easily.

_He'll hurt Sissi and the others if no one stops him._ This thought had barely been completed when X.A.N.A flung a hand outward and a huge gust of wind, accompanied by a purplish sort of spark of electricity. The scene of gore that followed probably came close to driving Sissi over the edge. Odd was blown backward, and during the tumble, he managed a cry of shock, and through the sword upward. That cry was the last one he heard. A large, jutting stone happened to be in the way of Odd, and Odd paid the price. His head contacted, and then was impaled upon it. Sissi let out a whimper and then ran to his side, shifting him so that his seemingly lifeless head now lie in her lap. "No, Odd… please wake up now… you… can't die… I… I think I love you." X.A.N.A, unmoved, pointed a finger at her. No gust of wind shot out, this time only a bolt of electricity was expelled. It hit her squarely on the stomach. Jeremy had never before seen a body shaking as violently as hers did when the bolt hit… the convulsion stopped and she collapsed unmoving to the ground.

"Two down, heroes, its so pitiful. You've taken on monster after monster, and you can't even beat little old me?"

"You horrid old beast! You monster!" As soon as she charged forward, much to Jeremy's chagrin, X.A.N.A immediately pushed her backwards without touching her. It only took a series of moments before she too collided with a rock, but she was much more fortunate than Odd and it didn't break skin. However, she moved not at all.

There were three gone. An enraged Olric ran forward freeing the forgotten sword. Suddenly, a bell rang in Jeremy's head. "Olric calm down and think; that's your sword! It's yours!" Olric lifted the blade and took off toward X.A.N.A., if it meant what he thought it did, they might have a chance.

"TRIPLICATE!"

To the shock of a terrified, silent Aelita, and a contemplative, fearful Jeremy, Olric was not one but three.

Of course, little had their minds began to run wild with belief of a victory, the three Olrics were thrown away from X.A.N.A., and, to be safe, Olric cried, "Fusion!" Three became one once more and Olric ran towards his adversary. "IMPACT," he called, slamming the blade forward.

As X.A.N.A. reached out to block the blade, it shot through the hand and lodged itself into X.A.N.A.'s cybernetic chest. X.A.N.A. made a sound not unlike a tornado siren and sank back. Suddenly the blue eyes began to change to a violent, dark red. Olric froze as he saw his demise, and Xana raised his only whole hand. From it beams of purple began to shoot, striking Olric relentlessly, his body began to convulse more violently than Sissi had, the final bolt was larger than the rest and hit him clear in the chest, leaving a large smoking hole in the shape of X.A.N.A.'s symbol.

"Oh lord," anger began to double within Jeremy's chest. They were gone, and all that he had left now was Aelita. X.A.N.A. would not touch Aelita again.

"Step up Jeremy, don't you want to protect your princess?" The voice was harsher and thick with malice. Jeremy limped forward and took hold of the sword.

"I won't let you do this anymore. Who knows how many people you've killed before we began our fight? Now you've killed my friends but you won't kill Aelita," rage built up inside of him, "and… you… WON'T KILL ME!" He lunged forward with his whole being and the blade found the hole left by Olric. X.A.N.A., caught off guard, began to convulse in a way similar to Olric. "Nice hit." Jeremy managed to himself, ramming the blade deeper into Xana's chest. He heard a click and knew he had broken into Xana's mainframe. Relentlessly he twisted the blade around inside of the angry Cyborg who began to speak only an unknown form of gibberish. Somewhere near by, a radio began to play a tune that was all too familiar.

"Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete

hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa SHIGUNARU wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku!"

Irritated, he growled, continued his relentless hacking at the sill robot. Finally, it fell stiff and rigid to the ground. Turning away, he tossed away the blade. Aelita was clutrching the hand of Odd, who layt at the bottom of the pile of bodies, still seeping blood from his cadaver. Sissi, Yumi, and Olric followed. Olric's body was in the worst shape, a large smoking hole still was there. However, in his last moments, he must have taken Yumi's hand.

The music continued, and finally, Jeremy spotted the source. He picked the sword up, and with a cry of "SHUT UP YOU STUPID MACHINE," hurled the blade into the center of the boombox which instantly grew quiet. A queer thing was happening. A light surrounded his friends, and he watched, shocked, as wounds… the wounds on their bodies disappeared. He could see breath returning into their bodies. Limping over, he excavated his friends from the pile with the help of Aelita, and was shocked to see them awake, and well.

Curiousity, shock, and love took hold of him as he grasped Aelita in the tightest hug his weak body could manage. Tears were what dampened the front of her shirt, not blood.

"It's over, I think, Xana's done. He's gone forever, Aelita… I can't belie-"

"Jeremy!" A small blonde girl emerged from amid wreckage and ran forward, stumbling and hurtling over the garbage littering the ground. Jeremy, shocked, released Aelita, and instantly his arms were occupied by the girl. "Jeremy! I saw the whole thing, you were so brave!"

"Sis, how did you get here?" So this was Jeremy's sister Jessica?

"I followed you guys."

Before Jeremy could reprimand the crying girl, Aelita interrupted to place a hand on the girl's back in a reassuring way.

"So, this is your sister, then? Hi Jessica, I'm Aelita."

"She's my girlfriend," Jeremy said in explanation, no longer blushing as he would have before.

"These are Yumi and Olric, and you know Odd, of course." But before they could go any further in celebration, or for that matter in calming down each other, a noise caught Jeremy's attention. X.A.N.A. was up and walking. Not toward them, in fact, away, then he turned and walked right past them, his mouth moving and gibberish coming out . Olric immediately got on guard, but Jeremy merely released his sister and moved over to the now retarded Cyborg.

"He's dead, and Xana is too, but right now, we have to deactivate the thing… here… this should do it." Reaching through the hole in his enemy's chest, Jeremy grabbed the necessary wire. "Good bye, Xana."

Jeremy ripped the weak wire in half, and received a shock for his efforts. He shoved back the Cyborg which hit the ground lifelessly.

"Oh god…. Oh god… what do we do now." The enormity of the situation was setting in. All around him now, dead bodies were beginning to rise, and eventually, curiosity would be aroused.

"Sis, come with me." He pulled the seven year old up from her spot on the ground and began to move toward the school. "We'll go to the factory and see what we can get…. If my guess about him is right, then Xana probably had a contingency plan, and thus didn't destroy the super computer when he imploded the factory. Sadly, he didn't have a contingency plan which would allow him to access the contingency plan." This morbid humor only evoked a smile from the others. "We'll make one final jump to the past, and no one will remember this happened but us."

"Wait…you're going to go back in time? What are you-"

"No sis, let me explain. We're going to revert this whole world back in time to last night at the carnival, you know how we didn't get to spend any time together?"

Jessie nodded.

"Wait… I'm going to forget it happened?"

Jeremy exchanged a look with the others. Olric's face was impassive, but he saw a distinct look of pity on Odd's, he couldn't see Sissi's due to the fact that it was buried in Odd's chest.

"No, if we can get to the Super Computer, I'll write you up a profile, and then you'll remember, but, do you understand what just happened, Sis? The world just about ended. You can't go around talking about that, people will think you're nuts."

"Fine, but after this you've got to explain everything."

"I will at the carnival last night." Confused by even his own statement, Jeremy took Aelita's hand and smiled. The seven began a walk toward the school.

Sitting down in the chair for what he hoped would be his final time, Jeremy pressed enter. "There, her profile's done. You'll remember all of this, all of us will, but no one else will. Lyoko… is gone. Aelita… you'll be alright, right?" Aelita nodded. He called up the program and smiled as he entered in the code for the countdown.

"Return to the past, now." He pressed enter and a half second later, saw only white.

---

Jeremy sang, while smiling down to his sister and the love of his life.

"_Doko ni mo tomaranai_

_mitasanai Emotion SHIKATO kimete oikose yo_

_furueteru SHAI na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte_

_tadoritsuku basho e."_

_I WANT NEW WORLD._


	2. Alternate ending

He was singing. It took him a second to realize that he was singing. And so he sung. Jeremy sang, while smiling down to his sister and the love of his life.

"_Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete_

_hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa SHIGUNARU wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku!" _

_(With a terrified look in the eyes, spit those irritated feelings into the fickle wind_

_The signal that melted into the cracked roadway is leaving only a scar behind.)_

"_Madoronda NOIZU ga asu o keshi-saru mae ni_

_yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto o oikakete." _

_(Before the drowsy noise blurs away tomorrow, chase after those ambitiously resounding footsteps. )  
_

"_Doko ni mo tomaranai_

_mitasanai Emotion SHIKATO kimete oikose yo_

_furueteru SHAI na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte_

_tadoritsuku basho e."_

_I WANT NEW WORLD.   
_  
And as the crowd grew into it, he saw their reactions as they would have been if Xana hadn't interrupted him, technically, Xana hadn't. Because all traces of Xana were gone from the world and from the Super Computer, it seems, Xana was Omnipresent. He was every when at once somehow. Gone from one time, gone from all.

The song finished, and Jeremy left the stage to a round of obliging applause. He walked straight up to Aelita, and, conscious of his sister, of Sissi, Odd, Olric and Yumi, pulled her into a tight hug. "Then it's over Aelita, we're all safe. Now, how about some cotton candy, on me everyone." A happy group disappeared through the crowd to test their taste buds, and prove that despite all their pain, despite all their suffering, each and every one of them was still completely real, still Human.

Jeremy was alive.   
Aelita was on Earth.  
Yumi and Olric were finally together.  
Sissi finally had Odd.

All was right with the worlds, both Earth, and Lyoko, which never saw monsters again.

Well, not for years… at least.


End file.
